Track and field: CU Buffs' Joe Morris seeks consistency

Sprinter has the speed, just working on fine-tuning it

The last time Joe Morris broke the school record in the 60-meter sprint, it took two years to top that mark.

Morris doesn't have that kind of time anymore.

On Saturday at Air Force, the Colorado senior won the 60-meters in a blistering time of 6.57 seconds. That broke the mark of 6.63 he set on Jan. 22, 2011.

"I've learned more how to smoothly get into the season," said Morris, who was a state champion sprinter at Golden High School in 2008. "That's where I like to say that's the beginning right now and hopefully it is a little different and I actually do reach it again."

Prior to Morris' arrival, Jonathan Prather held the CU record for the 60, running 6.67 seconds in 1999. Morris has now broken that mark six times in his CU career and doesn't believe he's done.

"It should be looked at as an opener, which means there are some faster races if I just work hard," he said. "Really, I'm sure I could to better."

A lot has changed for Morris in the past two years, he said. He has learned more about how to train and how to prepare for the long haul, rather than running on adrenaline at the start of the year.

"We had to do a lot of fine-tuning, so we could be more consistent," he said. "Now that we're here -- we're at the expected area -- now, what do we have to do next?"

While sprinting looks easy -- just go out and run fast, right? -- it's quite the opposite, Morris said. He said it's actually one of the more technical events in track.

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"You have to learn that every body movement counts, every step I take is going to count, either towards a good time or what it's going to take away," he said. "When you're working toward a 6.5, you have to think about who you are as a runner and how you're built. It can go down to the strength of your ankles; if that's where it's coming from, we're going to strengthen that."

There's an old adage that you can't teach speed, and that's true, Morris said, but added, "You can always make it better, and I feel I'm good proof of that. Last year if you would have seen a video of me, it looks completely different from the video of me running on Saturday. It's completely different."

The trick now is to repeat that effort, something he has struggled to do so far.

"I've never been impressed with the consistency," he said. "Usually when I (set a personal record), I do it big when it happens. If that was to be more consistent, people who are looking at me for post-collegiate stuff can rely on me."

For Morris, it's not just about the 60, either. He set a personal record in the 200 meters on Saturday, too (21.01). That was the third-best 200-meter time in CU history. He also runs the 100 and will add the 400 this year, he said.

"My coach thinks the 200 will probably be my record-breaking event," he said. "I'm expecting to have a better time in the 200 than the 60."

If Morris can gain the consistency he has lacked and reach the fullness of his potential, this could be a banner season.

"What I'd like to accomplish, what's critical right now is to get wins and championships," he said. "I need to get a Pac-12 championship. If you're running a 6.5 (in the 60), you should be getting some championships. It would be good to get some of those titles. A record is a record, but it would be cool to show up at a spot where it counts and make it happen right at the spot and get a win. That's what I want to add to my career."

Morris also has his sights set on a post-collegiate career, but for now his focus is squarely on achieving great things in his last season as a Buff.

"I have two important seasons (indoor and outdoor) to put everything I have towards it," he said.

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